This invention relates to a unitary operator cab and drilling assembly which is useful in a roof drilling and bolting device. It has particular application to the mine roof drilling and bolting apparatus disclosed in our co-pending application filed of even data herewith entitled "Roof Bolting Device bearing Ser. No. 030,219."
Mining machines with unitary operator cabs and protective canopies are known including those boom mounted devices such as in U.S. Pat. No. 3,893,520 wherein the canopy is fixed to the boom which carries the drilling assembly and those devices wherein the cab is fixed relative to the drilling apparatus and the two move rectilinearly as a unit relative to the chassis such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,050,259. It is an advantage according to this invention that the drilling assemblies mounted in front of the canopy covered cab and the drill pod can move transversely relative to the cab providing for transverse spacing of the roof bolts without repositioning of the cab or the chassis supporting the cab. The drilling assembly is uniquely mounted along the front edge of the cab upon a horizontal rail spaced from the front edge of the floor of the cab. The rail is mounted by swinging arms to always be parallel to the cab floor. In this way, the entire drilling assembly may be reached from the cab by the operator in whatever position the drill pod may be placed. Further, the horizontal rail can swing upwardly if unusual mine floor conditions are encountered either during tramming or drilling and bolting. As a result of the mounting the direction of the drilling pod axis remains generally vertical under all conditions.
Due to the spacing of the horizontal rail from the front edge of the cab floor, it is possible to position an upright tower for elevating the drill pod directly over the mine floor with no obstructions between the base of the upright tower and the mine floor. In this way, the base may be extended directly down to the mine floor during drilling so that the resultant drilling forces are not transmitted to the cab and/or the chassis supporting the cab.